Mating Season
by ShimmeringKnight
Summary: Shadow absolutely despises mating season. Not only is he basically powerless against other hedgehogs, but his unique situation allows for both genders to be affected by his scent. Sucky summary, better story. Sonadow
1. Chapter 1

**My first Sonic fic and my very first yaoi story. I've already written nine chapters as this, but I will not post any more until I reach the final chapter. Think of this as a preview of what's to come. Enjoy.**

Chapter 1

"Two pounds of apples, a bundle of bananas, 10 bags of chips…" Sonic mumbled to himself as he threw whatever he could grab his hands into his grocery cart. The already filled-to-the-brim cart earned various curious glances from the other shoppers nearby. However, the blue hedgehog paid them no mind; his current focus was on stocking up on as many room temperature food he can find… as well as fruit. In a week's time, a special event would begin, an event that was dreaded by all male (and a few female) bachelor hedgehogs.

Mating season.

Thus we find the hedgehog hero preparing to hide for the next few months as he tried to evade the no-doubt _intoxicating_ scents of any and all female hedgehogs. He would take great care to avoid them especially Amy.

Sonic shuddered in fear as the pink hedgehog crossed his mind. That girl would go through great lengths to get him to fall in love with her. Heck, she literally _altered_ her age so she would be old enough to go out with him without it being as awkward. No doubt if he ran into her during mating season, her scent combined with his primal instincts/urges would lead to very unwanted actions whether it be romantic or sexual. At the moment, he was content with his bachelor life. He couldn't imagine being tied down in any way.

The blue furball found himself at the checkout counter; he grinned sheepishly at the flabbergasted look the employee gave at the sight of the overloaded shopping cart. Slowly, the human took out one of each of the products in the cart and counted the clones. Then, the employee scanned each item and multiplied it by how money the hedgehog had in his cart.

Once this was over, Sonic was going to go back home and finish packing his things up. Afterwards, he and Tails were going to rendezvous with Knuckles and Manic at a secret location only the four of them knew. There, Sonic and Manic would hide in the comforts of their friends until mating season cooled down enough to not jump a female hedgehog against their will. Well, that or spend all of his cash and energy charming the women just so he could sleep with them for one night and never see them again. He was not only a bachelor, but a gentleman and a hero. Like he'd ever take advantage of a woman like that.

Sonic had invited Shadow to join their cowardly retre – er, camping trip, but the ebony hedgehog had turned it down. Apparently, the ultimate lifeform had the ultimate willpower so he wasn't worried about accidentally mating someone nor was he worried about being stalked by hormonal hedgehog girls. At least, that's what Sonic thought as he paid a large amount of money for his provisions. Azure ears folded back as their examined all of his products.

Right now, he was more worried about getting all the food back to his and Tails' house… which was a fair distance away.

* * *

Tails scavenged through the pile of camping equipment in the middle of his living room. With each item he found, he crossed off it off on his check-list ensuring that they would have it during the next few months.

The kitsune was well aware of that the hedgehog mating season was approaching and approaching fast. He could still recall the fidgety way Sonic would first stalk a female hedgehog before going after another and another and another. Luckily, he got distracted so much that Amy hardly had a chance to get him to mate her. By the time either of them had realized what was happening to the blue furball, Tails decided to lock Sonic up in isolation. The fox examined his older brother to determine why he was behaving so strangely before he finally came across an answer in the form of Amy. While the pink hedgehog was oblivious to the hero's current conundrum to accurately describe what Sonic was feeling, Tails had managed to scrounge up a sound theory.

To put it simply, it was Sonic's first time experiencing the intense effects of mating season. Of course, he knew about it prior to stalking girls which made Tails question what had changed during the past year. After speaking thoroughly with the blue hedgehog, the two-tailed fox was able to more-or-less confirm his theory. The years before, Sonic was too young for any sexual hormones to "activate" in a sense. As he continued to grow, said hormones began to finally make themselves known. However, it was still tolerable enough for Sonic to ignore his urges. Once that was no longer an option, it still wasn't enough for him to act on them in a lustful rage.

Until last year when it became too much for the hedgehog to handle. Girls became 'players' in the 'mating game' sooner than the boys as they matured faster. When Amy altered her age, she felt the lustful urges other girls her age felt though it wasn't nearly as strong yet. She could have easily resisted the urges and – since her scent wasn't as strong as the more mature females – she could've also remained safe from any male hedgehogs. Unfortunately, she knew that she could use this erotic season to have Sonic claim her as his mate. Even more unfortunate, she was naïve when it came to knowing how Sonic would claim her meaning she wasn't entirely aware of what 'claiming' actually meant. Like Sonic was going to have_ that_ particular conversation with the pink fangirl. Birds and bees? Have someone else teach her and possibly scar her for life! He still had yet to properly explain it to Tails! It was through sheer willpower that Sonic hadn't claimed any females last year though there were many, many,_ many_ opportunities when he could due to hedgehog fangirls throwing themselves on him.

Fortunately for the speedster, he discovered if he was far away from any female hedgehogs (as males weren't affected by the scent of other males) he wouldn't feel nature persuading him to mate with a nice-smelling girl. So he and Tails (who was not about to leave his brother during the strange time) packed up their bags and traveled far away from civilization. They had encountered Knuckles during their trek and managed to convince the red echidna to join them in their quest for sanctuary. Once they found a place to settle for the more heat-filled months of the mating season, they found a green hedgehog named Manic who was also hiding from the horny female hedgehogs. Like Sonic, Manic had no desire to find a mate soon and did not want Mother Nature to force him to find one practically against his will. Once the season became more tolerable, Manic, Sonic, and Tails said farewell and went their separate ways. Knuckles had left periodically to ensure that the Master Emerald was still safe. Nevertheless, Sonic managed to convince Manic and Knuckles to rejoin their camping expedition the next time mating season came around.

As such, Tails was making absolutely certain that all their necessary equipment was packed and ready while he waited for Sonic to return with the food. Speaking of which, the fastest thing alive was awfully slow on his return. The older was gone for a few hours now.

"Yo, Tails! I'm back!" an all-too-familiar cocky voice called out to his little brother as its owner grunted with each push he gave the overflowing shopping cart.

Baby blue eyes widened at the mountain of food. Calculating the amount of food and the length they needed to be away from any civilization with female hedgehogs, he commented, "That should last us long enough as long as we only eat when needed." He turned back to his checklist – each item had at least two check marks next to its name. "But considering your appetite, you think it will be enough?"

Sonic shrugged leaving the cart outside as he walked beside the orange fox. "If it means staying a bachelor for a little longer then I'll manage. Besides, you or Knux can always go shopping for food if we can't find any in the wild."

Tails nodded in acknowledgement before mentally reviewing everything one final time. He finally put away the checklist and glanced at Sonic. "If there's nothing else, I'd say we're good to go right now."

Truthfully, it would be easier to start leaving for their destination as soon as possible before Sonic became victim to nature's ways.

"Wait one sec, little bro." the taller told him. After being asked an unspoken question, the speedster continued, "I want to see if I can't persuade Shadow one final time."

"But Sonic, he already decline four times." The fox reminded him. "He's stubborn. What makes you think he'll say 'yes' this time?"

"I'm not sure he will accept this time, but I can be just as stubborn." He smirked. "Besides, it can't hurt to ask."

Tails resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he knew with Shadow, asking the wrong question or getting on the black hedgehog's nerves could end up with someone getting hurt – and that someone was not the ultimate lifeform. Then again, it was Sonic. He always managed to find a way to get on the anti-hero's nerves whether purposely or accidentally. Both ended up getting hurt when they fought each other, both were almost equally matched in every aspect, and both were stubborn as hell.

All the kitsune could do was hope that the two would be smart enough not to get into a fight that ended with Sonic not being able to help the eight-year-old genius drag all their equipment to their home for the next few months.

* * *

Night claimed the streets as teenagers and adults roamed around from club to club. The occupants of said streets refused to give in to sleep instead enjoying to dark entertainment hidden from the rest of the world. Night clubs and bars stayed opened until dawn when their customers regained some sense of control and dignity. Not that all customers were shameless, but people were more open to certain… activities in the safety of darkness. One such open club was Club Rouge owned by infamous thief Rouge the Bat. Her employee, roommate, and partner in GUN missions Shadow the Hedgehog found himself being endlessly annoyed by Sonic the Hedgehog who was all but clinging to the ebony hedgehog's side as he tried to persuade the darker to join him and his friends in their camp outing. Shadow 'was' working as the bartender that night, but once finding out that Sonic wasn't going to leave him alone easily – not that he ever did – Shadow asked one of Rouge's employees to cover for him as he tried to lose the blue hedgehog to no avail.

"C'mon Shads, it's going to be a hedgehog pandemic next week! Girls will be coming from left and right never leaving you alone for even a moment until you take one of them." Sonic stated to the darker hedgehog in an exaggerated manner.

"Then that's my problem." The ultimate lifeform told him as he stalked towards the other side of the room. "I'll deal with them how I wish to deal with them."

Emerald eyes held a curious look as their owner continued to stay by the other's heels. "You're not going to hurt them too badly, are you?"

The biotic hedgehog did not wish to harm them too badly. He wasn't going to kill someone simply because they were victims to nature's ways especially considering how it would be mainly his fault – albeit a fault he had no control over. Besides, mating season tended to handicap his abilities. Though, he may damage them a bit, "Enough to send them a message."

The azure hedgehog frowned at the response not liking the idea of someone getting hurt by his dark counterpart because they wanted him as a mate. "O-kay, but if you come with us you wouldn't have to resort to violence to fend off hormonal hedgehogs."

_Hah! That's what he thinks. _Shadow thought to himself bitterly. True, he was tempted to join Sonic and his friends and be free of many hedgehogs that'd cause him tons of annoyance during the next few months, but then he'd be stuck with Sonic and his friends. Considering the sanctuary Shadow found years ago was nearby their campsite, the ultimate lifeform found that staying confined in Club Rouge for the next months was his safest bet. Plus, he'd be in more danger if he was around Sonic during this particular season. If Gerald was right, and Shadow's been in enough situations to know he was, then the title 'ultimate lifeform' became absolute bullshit during this season despite how hard Shadow tried. He had to waste a lot of energy that he couldn't always restore in time.

He was lucky he hadn't run into the blue furball in the past during mating season.

He continued to stomp away in silence.

"Shadow, come with us!" Azure tried to convince the darker in one final attempt.

"Faker, for the last time no!" He sharply turned around to jab his finger at the hero's chest. "And if you want your 'secret' location to remain a secret from a certain pink hedgehog, then I suggest you take my answer and _leave_!"

Emerald orbs widened in slight fear before narrowing at equally fierce crimson orbs. They were nose-to-nose. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." he threatened. As Sonic should know, Shadow made good on his threats. They weren't empty words; if he said he would do it – no matter how horrible the threat may be – the hedgehog was going to carry it out if one didn't heed his warning. Besides, in this situation even if he did bluff sometimes he was dead serious. It was a very desperate time for the ebony 'hog not solely because of the females…

The tense silence that wafted around the two rivals finally was broken with Sonic turning his back on his darker counterpart.

"Fine. If you don't want to come then don't come." The hero relented tossing a smug smirk towards Shadow. "But if it gets to be too much, then you're welcome to join us. Not even the 'ultimate lifeform' can escape nature's call for too long."

True, but not like he'd ever admit it. Instead, he rolled his eyes. "Trust me, faker, I can handle being chased down by girls."

"If you say so." The azure 'hog was about to leave when he heard Shadow call him back. Curious emerald eyes met suspicious crimson.

"Why are you so… determined to have me join you in your camping expedition?" the anti-hero asked examining the lighter's body for any sign of any hidden intention.

There was a certain reason, but that reason was something the speedster was possibly never going to admit to himself let alone his rival. Instead, the blue furball merely gave a friendly grin, "Because like it or not, Shadow, I think of you as my friend and I wouldn't want any friend of mine forced to do something they may not like especially something such as _claiming_ a mate thanks to mating season."

"We're. Not. Friends." The other emphasized. "Despite what Rouge may have said to you, you and I are simply acquaintances and at times reluctant allies."

Sonic chuckled amused at the response. He didn't believe the other; there were plenty of times when the two hung out without a third party there to ensure they wouldn't kill each other where they actually enjoyed the other's company. The blue hedgehog did not expect Shadow to acknowledge these moments, but that didn't mean the speedster was oblivious to these times. He cherished them because it proved that Ebony didn't altogether hate him. He was content enough to think of the other as a friend and rival to not force the other to see him in the light.

"Sure, Shads, sure." The speedster winked before taking off.

Shadow rubbed the bridge of his nose trying to forget the encounter before returning to the club's bar. There he was met with an enraged Rouge who was currently trying to single-handily serve a bundle of men and women wanting to get drunk off their ass whether it be for enjoyment, escape, or because they had an addiction (those were the most violent of customers).

The bat cursed him out as she pulled the hedgehog back behind the counter and ordered him to get to work. The rush hour proved suitable enough for Shadow to distract him from any unnerving thoughts of what this year's mating season would bring him.

He only hoped it wouldn't be exhausting enough for him to turn to Rouge for help. Not only would it be humiliating, but it also would mean revealing something about himself that he would rather remain a secret.

_Please let this mating season go by smoothly._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I have yet to completely finish this story (only about one to two chapters left in my files), but I decided to upload one chapter each month until I finish the story completely. Since I have 12 chapters finished, this should be good for about a year. Oh, quick note: Sonic won't reappear until Ch 4 and Sonic and Shadow won't physically meet up again until Ch 6  
**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Sonic, there would be Sonadow, but there's not... so I DONT OWN IT! Also, the idea of mating season came from this story on Deviantart I read about Sonadow mating season. I borrowed the scents, Shadow's situation, and something else I will not reveal until possibly Chapter 14. Other than that, everything else was thought up by me and my dozing brain when I try to fall asleep at night.  
**

**Well, enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 2

Shadow got his wish, or at least it seemed like he got it during the first few weeks.

The beginning of mating season started out pretty well: the delicious scents of potential mates filled the air, but Shadow was able to resist it. He and Rouge were given a mission that took up a huge chunk of the first month. Though they suffered many injuries, they were more or less fine when they returned. Shadow enjoyed the escape from reality and not having to worry about any hedgehogs finding him. For those three weeks he could have tricked himself into believing it was a normal month, a normal time. He faintly wished the mission would've taken at least until August. He would've been safe then, but no they had to finish right before July. What sucked even more was that G.U.N. assured them they were to have no more missions until fall.

Once the partners returned home, Shadow all but locked himself inside their shared apartment. He silently refused to come out – he still helped out in Rouge's night club, but as soon as he believed the air in the room smelt differently (in a very good way) he was back inside their apartment so fast it seemed as if he was never there in the first place.

Last year the bionic 'hog was able to hide from other hedgehogs. He found a nice, secluded area far from civilization that only he knew about. When he checked out that place a month before mating season, he found many male hedgehogs residing in the area. Apparently, they decided it was a great place to hide from the girls for the summer. Plus it was a great vacation spot. Any other place Shadow found ended up being too close to other hedgehogs (and other people overall) for his liking.

The black hedgehog was able to convince Rouge for half a month to take care of anything they needed that involved stepping outside. Sadly for the ultimate lifeform, Rouge's patience was running low. She was not going to run errands for him any longer; he needed to pull his own weight around here if he wanted to continue living with her.

The two anthros argued back and forth before the male relented and was given the job of obtaining their groceries for the next week. With a grumble and a silent plea to whatever deity might be listening so he wouldn't be forced into this, Shadow grabbed his wallet and left the building for the first time in almost two months. He forced himself to relax as he opened the door then quickly dashed off before any hedgehogs could smell his scent.

The dark being quickly grabbed all the products he and Rouge needed (courtesy of the list she gave him prior to his exit) trying to be as accurate and as fast as possible. The registers seemed fairly empty so he believed he would be in the clear. He believed that there was a good chance he was safe.

How wrong he was.

As soon as he let his guard down slightly, his nose was overpowered with a familiar, amazing scent. The scent of female hedgehogs in heat. He was glomped, kissed, and groped all while waiting for the teenage employee to ring up his provisions. Apparently, the human thought nothing of the molestation the hedgehog was receiving from two females or didn't care. Heck, as far as Shadow knew the dude was jealous!

The ultimate lifeform forced the girls off of him and took a tight grip of his bags. He found himself being tackled by the same two hedgehogs that violated him inside the store. Their scents were pretty irresistible, but not so much that the male was going to claim either of them. He pushed them off irritably and ran off before they could get back up. If all worked out well, no one else picked up on his scent and he could get home without having to endure another encounter like that.

Sadly for him, more hedgehogs became evidently more aware of his presence as he was tackled and chased after multiple times. He wondered how the hell could these regular anthros were able to catch up to him so quickly. What was supposed to be a five to ten minute grocery shopping turned out to be almost a half hour of having to lose the horny stalkers.

By the time he returned to Club Rouge losing the other hedgehogs, he had been glomped, groped, humped, kissed, tackled, violated, molested, and – in the case of one overeager hedgehog – almost kidnapped. He regretted not making sure he had a chaos emerald with him. Chaos control would have saved him so much trouble. It had taken all of his willpower not only to not respond to the mates and to not kill them. Due to these happenings, he arrived at his apartment fur disheveled, decorated with lipstick, and seriously pissed off. Suffice to say, the white bat was worried about her partner.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" she questioned teal eyes widening.

Crimson eyes glared fiercely at the bat, their owner barely biting back curses that would leave a sailor in shock. Instead, he shoved the groceries into her hands and pushed his way past her.

"Next time, _you_ get the groceries." He grumbled.

* * *

Rouge had already put away the freshly-bought groceries and now sat waiting for Shadow to finish his shower in their living room. Teal eyes lazily scanned the smallish room: the green couch she sat on that could easily seat three; the brown love seat that faced the couch in a slight angle; the brown coffee table in the middle of the seats; a small wooden table between the couch and love seat; the medium-sized TV that faced them; the counter resting against the wall; and the random, generic pictures hung on the warm brown walls around them. White boots impatiently tapped against the plush maroon floor as the bat waited for the running water to stop. Once it did, she stopped her tapping and looked towards the opening of the hallway.

Minutes later, the ebony hedgehog stepped into the room, a white tower swung around his shoulders. His fur was still slightly wet, but he looked better than when he returned. He continued drying himself off without acknowledging her, but it was clear to the both of them that he knew she was there. He was trying to avoid the line of questioning that was certain to come with his strange appearance and prolonged outing to the store. Moments of silence passed before the bat decided to speak.

"So…" Rouge let the word hang in the air as she tried to figure out how to get him talking. He continued his drying without giving a clue of whether or not he heard her. Though of course he had heard her.

"Any reason why you came back looking like you've been mobbed by fangirls?" Teal eyes studied his reaction.

The male stopped his drying in favor of glaring at her. "Because in a way, I was."

She smirked a little in amusement; she forgot at times that the ebony 'hog was almost as popular with girls as Sonic.

"Horny fangirls and fanboys."

Her smirk faltered slightly. It wasn't the prospect of fanboys liking Shadow in that way that surprised the female – she had suspicions that some guys did – but the way that Shadow had phrased it as well as how he said it caused Rouge a little worry. It wasn't the regular annoyance that laced his voice; frustration and a bit of whining was evident in his tone like a child who didn't want to play a game everyone else did and was forced to. There was something more to this than ordinary fangirls. He usually was able to scare or fend them off and he never, ever came back home looking even remotely similar to how he looked when he came back today. Plus he wasn't normally this bothered with fans, annoyed yes, frustrated no. This was different, but how?

Wait a minute…

His reluctance to go outside for past weeks, Sonic and Tails leaving for a camping trip and inviting Shadow along, Shadow returning looking like_ that_, and frustration evident in his behavior… Didn't Amy tell her something about this when she asked the older female for help in finding Sonic?

"These fans wouldn't happen to be solely hedgehogs?"

There! A wince! Hardly noticeable, but it was _there_!

Her smirk grew; this could either be a lot of fun or could end up with her in the hospital. Unlike Knuckles, Shadow had almost no problem hitting a girl. He preferred not to, but he would if they didn't heed his warnings.

"So they were!" Rouge practically purred. "Seems like mating season does a number on you, huh?" A crimson glare was all that she received as an answer. The bat remembered something from earlier causing her a hint of confusion and curiosity. "But wait, didn't you say that guys also 'attacked' you?"

"…" He turned his back on her.

Teal eyes widened. This was getting interesting. Amy had educated her on some extent of the hedgehog mating season and while the bat had zoned out more than once during the pink being's blathering, she had listened enough to know that males weren't affected by other males' scents only by females and vice versa. Considering that Shadow had also been attacked by both genders had left some questions about his gender.

"How can that happen?" she questioned. "Aren't guy hedgehogs only able to detect female scents? And I know you aren't a girl. That little bathroom incident was more than enough for me to know you're a guy… aren't you?"

Shadow forced down the blush that threatened to overtake his tan muzzle as he both recalled that incident and tried to avoid thinking about how Gerald created him. He did not want to talk about that.

"Shadow," The bat tried again, "how come male and female hedgehogs are throwing themselves at you?"

Agonizing minutes passed by as the ultimate lifeform debated internally whether or not to let Rouge in on his little secret. Right when she thought the hedgehog wasn't going to answer, he (_he is a 'he' right?)_ spoke.

"If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone else?" he slowly turned to face her, but avoid looking at the female.

"I promise."

"Really, promise," Crimson met teal, "because I swear if I tell you and you blab it to someone, I _will_ find out and when I do…" he let the threat hang.

The world's greatest thief gulped in fear, but refused to show it. Instead she smiled holding up her right arm and crossing her heart with her left hand. "I swear not to tell anyone your secret whatever it is."

Shadow studied her for a moment before deciding the promise, as mocking as it had been, was good enough. He exhaled deeply before plopping down on the love seat. He rubbed his face as he tried to figure out how to begin.

Eyes studying the ground, he mumbled something. It was hardly audible so the bat asked him to repeat it. He did, but his words were only slightly louder so she asked again. He forced himself to speak louder.

"I'm not a male…."

A white brow arched in curiosity. "You sure, hun? 'Cause from what I remember –"

"… but I'm also not a female." He interrupted her. He looked up. "I'm a hermaphrodite. To be more exact, I'm a _true _hermaphrodite. Which means, I have the reproductive organs of both sexes."

Rouge blinked as the information slowly sank into her. Shadow was a hermaphrodite? He was half a girl?

The hedgehog waited semi-patiently for Rouge to absorb the shocking bit of news, but grew more anxious the longer the silence stretched.

Finally, "So, you're a hermaphrodite and you have a... womb?" Dark shoulders shrugged at the somewhat accurate name before nodding. Rouge slouched; disbelief evident in her eyes. "Huh, guess that explains a lot."

A dark eyebrow was raised at her statement as if he was verbally asking, _Like what?_

Gloss lips stretched into an amused half-smile. "For one thing it explains why you're cranky all the time." Seeing a hint of confusement in crimson orbs, the bat elaborated, "I already know how moody women get when they're on their period. Add your time of the month with the testosterone from your 'boy' side – which makes guys violent – and you get a grumpy Shadow who's first response to a situation is violence."

Shadow crossed his arms over his chest glaring at the female. He did NOT always react violently to things and just because he had estrogen and testosterone coursing through his body did NOT mean anything. His body was created to be able to handle and control anything in his body including his hormones.

"Oh, do not give me that look, Shadow." She crossed her arms. "You know you resort to violence at least half of the time." He snorted before looking away. A more thoughtful look crossed the treasure hunter's face as she remembered the reason for this conversation. "That's why both female and male hedgehogs are after you and why you came back from the store like that." She chuckled. "That must be fun."

"I was chased by lust-filled hedgehogs who wanted to jump me." he spat out.

"I know, I know." The bat raised her arms as if surrendering before giggling a bit at the strange image of Shadow the Ultimate Lifeform running away from over-excited hedgehogs. A more serious and somewhat frightening thought passed her mind. "Shadow, how come you didn't fight them off?"

She knew that the hermaphrodite most likely did, but something must've happened for him to still return looking disheveled. Even when he did run into hard-core almost Amy-like fans, they wouldn't get near him if he threatened them. Were hedgehogs in heat worse than that?

Shadow shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His ears threatened to flatten against his skull.

"Shadow?"

Crimson eyes studied his hands which were on his lap. Hesitantly, he said, "My instincts refuse to let me damage a potential mate violently." He sighed. "I can't force myself to hurt them so they end up getting too close for my liking. In other words, during mating season," he swallowed hard trying to keep his voice steady as he looked up at her, "I end up being defenseless enough that I can actually end up getting raped by a hedgehog that can't control themselves."

Rouge stared at him trying not to laugh in case he was being serious, but then again, when wasn't he serious? Besides, he wouldn't joke about something like that. Despite how he may seem like on the outside, the bat believed he was terrified of this fact. His scent attracted both sexes couple that with the fact that he becomes virtually defenseless during hedgehog mating se – Wait a minute.

That's right. He was a hedgehog.

Shadow was a hedgehog.

Scourge _and_ Sonic were hedgehogs. Hedgehogs that ran at the speed of sound; that matched Shadow in almost every way; that had the skill, the abilities, and the raging instincts that could end up with one of them…

She gulped slightly; a sudden fear for her partner's wellbeing consumed her. "You haven't run into Sonic or Scourge yet, have you?"

He shook his head, eyes narrowing. "And I don't plan to during the months when mating season gets... intense." He studied her for a second as he weighed the negative results that could occur should he run into one of the speedsters during this time. Normally, he would be able to take care of them or they wouldn't bother him or hurt him in such a way. However, this was a different subject altogether.

Professor Gerald had made him into a hermaphrodite for a reason. The scientist wanted Shadow to find a mate of his own when they returned to earth be it a girl or a guy. In the human's eyes, this would more or less ensure that Shadow would find someone to love no matter their gender. To further ensure this, he had the bright idea of making the ultimate lifeform's pheromones as irresistible as possible. Shadow loved Professor Gerald and admired the man, but sometimes the scientist made stupid mistakes.

Making Shadow's pheromones that strong was one of them.

If the crimson-streaked hedgehog ran into either Sonic or Scourge and they caught his scent, Shadow was fucked, literally. He could chaos control away from them, but they'd be able to find him eventually. And what happens when he uses up all his energy running away? He'd have a better chance surviving the season if he had some outside help.

Swallowing his pride, the bionic hedgehog asked Rouge for help in case that did happen. The female was surprised at the request, but did not tease him on the matter. Even the strongest would crumble if they believed they would get raped. Instead, she promised him to help him out during the next month whenever he needed it against a horny hedgehog. Her friend was not going to get raped on her watch.

She excused herself shortly afterwards to tend to her club. Before leaving, she had one more question lingering about her friend's unique gender.

"Are you the reason why my tampons go missing?"

Her response was a pillow tackling her face.

At least he didn't throw the lamp.

* * *

**A/N: Some backstory to this chapter**

**1) Shadow revealing he's herm was originally going to be in the first chapter, but then I thought it would be better if he was kind of forced to reveal it.**

**2) The last little bit with Rouge questioning if Shadow stole her tampons was my goal for this entire thing. IT WAS MY GOAL! XD**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: (9:29 PM PST, October 5, 2014) I have been informed the name of the author who wrote the original Mating Season: Sonicathehedgehog000. You want to read the original? Go to Deviant art and search her (or his) story up**

* * *

Chapter Three

Rouge was all but fed up with the hedgehog mating season even though she wasn't technically participating in it. However, having Shadow by her side every day sure made it feel like she was a part of it.

All she asked was for Shadow to take out the trash and as soon as he stepped outside he was surrounded by hedgehogs. It took half an hour to get out of the crowd and run back inside. In his haste he had hardly paid any mind to the consequences rushing into the building might bring: they would all know where he lived.

For about two weeks, Club Rouge was occupied with single hedgehogs of all types yearning to have Shadow as a mate. Heck, his musk was so good straight 'hogs went gay! Then again, seeing how his musk affects them, straight males were convinced that he was actually a girl despite his deep voice. It didn't help that in their eyes he looked like a girl. A girl that could bring them intense pleasure…

At first, the bat had believed this would be good for business. Sure, they were more interested in finding Shadow than buying any drinks (only paying the entrance fee), but the club owner was convinced she could persuade them otherwise. After the first couple of days, not one single spiked mammal would even glance in her direction as all focus was directed on the doors in case the ebony furball happened to walk through them. Once she threatened to kick them out if they didn't buy anything (and therefore force them further away from Shadow) which finally got business booming. Eventually, she did kick all them out on day five when it seemed like the hedgehogs were basically camping inside the club intent on never leaving until someone claimed Shadow. That and – although the bionic mobian would never admit – Shadow seemed almost disturbed by them. She found her partner cowering under his bed sheets refusing to come out for anything whether it be for food or for hygienic purposes. The latter proving to be a bad idea seeing how not only did his pheromones grow, but also the regular stink of an unbathed mobian getting on Rouge's nerves.

It was easier getting rid of suitors than forcing the ultimate lifeform to bathe, eat, and go to the bathroom.

Shortly afterwards, the unclaimed hedgehogs continued to flock to Club Rouge, but this time they were more aggressive in their attempts. They managed to deduce which door led to their apartment and picked the lock. Others began breaking in through the apartment's windows.

Everywhere the white bat turned there was a hedgehog with flowers, chocolates, lipstick, or other knickknacks waiting to give them to Shadow. She started to spend countless nights listening to numerous 'hogs serenading to the dark G.U.N. agent (about half of them being tone deaf), her fridge overflowed with homemade meals made for the ebony 'hog, and her place stank with the conflicting scents of candles brought in in hopes for winning Shadow over. She found these horny mammals sneaking into the house whenever they could and the more 'excited' ones nearly taking Shadow had he not scared them away temporarily or had Rouge not forcibly kicked them halfway to Hong Kong. The hedgehogs also suffered from rivaling instincts meaning that some began to physically fight each other or sabotage one another to gain Shadow's attention and/or affection. Heck, Rouge found herself being attacked by these hedgehogs when some of them got the idea that she was his girlfriend or liked him in that way. Please, her GUN partner was more like a brother than anything else. Worst of all, she had to deal with the object of all these affections as he slowly began to grow insane.

She couldn't blame him; she was starting to go crazy as well. So, she suggested that he go for a run and search for a place to hide out for the next month. And by 'suggested' I mean she _demanded_; she wanted this whole thing to stop. At least when mating season for bats rolled around most of her species could control themselves. Those that didn't and tried to force themselves on someone ended up with a very violent denial. Still, she loved the gifts suitors would give her. Hedgehogs were more aggressive in their tactics to retrieve a mate – much too aggressive for Rouge to tolerate much longer. Sure, it wasn't his fault this was happening, but if Rouge had to put up with any longer than drastic measures would take place.

Meaning that Shadow the Hedgehog better find some place to hide in until the season was over. Otherwise, he'd have to deal with a homicidal woman whose victim will end up being him.

The gold blur took off as fast as he could through the cities; he hardly stopped in case someone ended up finding him. He focused more on locations outside of civilizations as those had the higher probably of keeping him hidden for the remainder of mating season. He was lucky so far as he had not run into any hedgehogs he couldn't outrun or escape from. After an hour of searching the surrounding wilderness, however, he did end up attracting certain hedgehog's attention.

Unwanted attention.

In the form of a very, very, very fast hedgehog.

"'Sup, Stripes?" a cocky voice asked, his tone laced with something darker. The owner of the voice was an emerald green hedgehog with three slash marks on his chest; he wore a leather jacket and black sunglasses which hid his azure blue eyes. The hedgehog resembled Sonic exactly as it was none other than Sonic's evil doppelganger Scourge the Hedgehog. He matched Sonic and Shadow in abilities and speed and was one of the two main hedgehogs Shadow had hoped not to run into during mating season. To make things worse, judging by the green speedster's scent he had yet to claim someone.

Fantastic. The ebony 'hog had hoped that the green blur would have already mated with his on-and-off again girlfriend Fiona the Fox. Apparently, the universe hated the ultimate lifeform at the moment.

In response to the other's greeting, Shadow scowled and dashed off sharply to the left in a perfect 90 degree angle not wanting to be in the other's presence any longer than he had to be. Scourge simply smirked and zoomed to the darker's side.

"What's wrong? Do I intimidate you?" the younger teased enjoying the G.U.N. agent's discomfort. "All I wanted to do is say 'hello'."

"What do you want, hedgehog?" the bionic being snapped. He did not want the emerald anthro by his side when he found a sanctuary. In the back of his mind, he weakly hoped that Scourge did not notice his scent yet.

A sly grin appeared on a peach muzzle as he forced the elder to a stop. Emerald got closer to Ebony's side, lips brushing a black ear. "It's not about what _I_ want, it's about_ you_ want." He purred as his voice took on a lustful tone. "It _is_ mating season, I'm guessing you want to be claimed," A gloved hand stroked a dark side sending shivers up Shadow's spine, "and I'd be more than happy to do it."

Sad to say, Shadow gulped in slight fear. Any thin hope he had vanished into thin air. He cursed mating season, his hormones, and whatever force of nature that convinced Gerald it was a smart idea to make his pheromones so strong. He felt weak and there was nothing he could do about it! Damn nature, damn mating seasons, damn hedgehogs, damn Scourge's slowly addicting scent! The streaked hedgehog balled his hands into fists fighting against primal, lustful instincts.

Scourge smirked in amusement as he felt the elder shake under his hand. The younger had picked up on Shadow's scent miles ago. It was like nothing he had ever smelt in his life; it was intoxicating, irresistible, _delicious! _As soon as the smell reached his nose, he had a strong urge to see how the object of the scent tasted like, how it felt like. Imagine the male's surprise when it turned out to be Shadow. An internal debate later, Scourge decided to stalk the darker being. Appearances were definitely deceiving; Shadow was unquestionably not a guy; at least not a full guy. His pheromones were distinguishable to Scourge and were honing the green blur in to him like a beacon. He wanted Shadow; wanted to see why Ebony could affect him so much. He wanted to take Shadow, have the normally stoic being under him, screaming, sweating, _begging_. Soon, instincts and desire grew stronger and Scourge decided that he had found his mate for this season and what he wants, he gets no matter what.

A slick tongue licked peach lips as their owner leaned further in towards Shadow.

He found himself on the ground a second later. Fierce, hypnotizing crimson eyes glared down on him. "Want a mate? Go fuck Fiona, she's your girlfriend after all."

Chuckling, the emerald 'hog pushed himself up. He grinned as he slowly circled the tense bionic being like a predator circling his prey. "She doesn't particularly like me when mating season rolls around, ya know? So many women throwing themselves on me, so many wonderful pheromones clouding my mind. It's not my fault I get so horny during June, July, and August and that I get more attracted to other hedgehogs than her." He stood in front of the elder, his hand caressing a tan muzzle. "So we broke up. I'm glad though, I would have never discovered your delicious scent otherwise." As if to emphasize this point, he pulled the other closer to him and heavily inhaled Shadow's musk. Azure eyes glazing with lust gazed upon emotionless crimson. "Tell me, Stripes, how is it that I can detect your scent?"

Sarcastically, the hermaphrodite answered, "Because you have a nose." He tried to walk off, but found a gloved hand grabbing his arm harshly. Had this been any other day, the streaked 'hog could have easily break from the hold. Unfortunately, his instincts had second thoughts as they kept screaming at him, yelling '_MATE ALREADY! THERE'S A WILLING MALE RIGHT HERE!_'

"You know that's not an acceptable answer." The grip grew stronger. A small, amused smirk appeared. "Don't tell me you've actually been a girl this whole time."

"Not technically a girl, but not technically a guy." He mumbled under his breath, his eyes widening as he realized what he had said out loud. He silently cursed himself knowing that the younger had undoubtedly heard him.

Scourge blinked, face blank as he tried to figure out what Shadow meant by that. A mischievous expression appeared as he came across the answer. "No way, you're a herm?" A slight grimace was his answer. The true male grinned wider pulling the other closer until their chests were touching. "That makes this all the more interesting. Tell me, Stripes, how does that look like? Then again, I could always find out."

Frantic, Shadow tried to punch him only to be stopped by the other's palm catching his fist. Not that it would've done much damage anyway. Both dark-furred arms were in Scourge's death grip so Ebony kneed him where it hurt. Again, the damage wasn't extensive, but it was just shocking enough to cause emerald knees to fall to the ground as Scourge groaned in slight pain. The grip loosened.

The gold blur took off before the speedster could get his bearings back. He was not going to continue his search any longer as long as Scourge was there.

Meanwhile, the younger stood up slowly as any pain quickly subsided. He frowned as he took off after the older being. They ran through forest after forest, city after city, obstacle after obstacle. Try as he might, Shadow could not lose the green blur. In a last ditch effort, the ultimate lifeform dashed off towards the beach, Emerald in tow, and jumped off the pier. Before he landed in the water, he took out his green chaos emerald and teleported away. By the time Scourge caught up, Shadow was long gone.

The green hedgehog scowled for a moment before a dark smile spread. He laughed huskily, azure eyes glinting. "You can run and hid all you want, Shadow, I will find you. I don't give up that easily."

* * *

Shadow found that he appeared in Station Square. Immediately, he headed towards Club Rouge dodging hedgehog suitors along the way as he locked himself in the apartment. Using the full extent of his speed, he locked every entrance in the building and barricaded them. Rouge, who was in the apartment when he arrived, raised an eyebrow at the strange behavior. They had tried to keep other hedgehogs out earlier but not in such a desperate manner. Any teasing she may have done vanished at the sight of the frightened hedgie. Forcing Shadow to calm down, she questioned him on what happened. Once she learned the details, she frowned. Worry was growing for her normally powerful friend and partner. Normal hedgehogs they could deal with, but someone like Scourge?

"We need to do something about this." The treasure hunter commented one after double-checking to make absolutely certain that they were all alone and no one would be able to break in for a good amount of time. She was pacing around the room as Shadow sat down on their couch.

The hermaphrodite rubbed his temples trying to calm himself. "I know."

"Isn't there something you can do to get rid of your scent?" She stopped her pacing to face him, right hand resting on hip.

"You think if I knew I wouldn't have done something by now?" he growled in frustration. "Other than having sex with someone – which I don't plan on doing anytime soon – I don't know how to get rid of it! The past years I have been on earth I have tried everything to get rid of it, but I can't figure out how."

The female was getting as agitated as her partner with everything that was occuring. "Well, we have to think of something. I don't think I can deal with this for much longer and I doubt you can. I'm sure you would've killed everyone by now if you could." They both sat in silence as they pondered about the situation. Teal eyes lit up as gloved ebony-furred fingers snapped in triumph.

"I got it!" They both exclaimed.

"Knucklehead is camping with Sonic every now and then meaning Angel Island is more or less isolated for most of the time."

"Since it's a floating island, you need to be able to fly or have a chaos emerald and chaos control to get on the island."

"Meaning the other hedgehogs would have a hard time following you there and taking you!"

"I wouldn't have to deal with anyone for the rest of mating season."

"And I can finally have privacy in my home again without having to look after you." She rolled her eyes as crimson orbs glared at her. "Oh give me a break; you know if it wasn't for me one of them would have eventually claimed you." She grinned. "This could work. Why hadn't we thought of this before, though?"

"I don't know and I don't care. At least we did now." Had Shadow been anyone else, he may have jumped up and hugged Rouge in glee. But he didn't.

This was a good alternative! No normal hedgehog would be able to find them, unless they had access to airplanes or could chaos control up there, but no one would find out where he went. Scourge wouldn't look there first and as far as either of them knew he didn't know where it was. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't think of going there until it was too late and Shadow's instincts no longer handicapped him. He had spent this long without mating someone; he could spend a little more without doing _that_. It would be much easier without anyone around to distract him. Heck, if everything went well then Shadow could spend next mating season up on that island away from everyone and everything.

Both mammals quickly gathered up the necessary equipment he'd need for the remaining weeks on the island. Without another word, Shadow took out his green chaos emerald and, after bidding farewell to Rouge, chaos controlled to the vacant island. He made sure to appear somewhere a good distance away from the Master Emerald so when the echinda's paranoia forced him to return to the island, he wouldn't notice Shadow there too quickly. He might still notice, but the ebony hedgehog needed a place to stay. If the guardian had a problem with it then Shadow would be more than happy to 'come to an agreement' with the younger. He had a lot of pent-up frustration that sadly he couldn't take out on others who wouldn't be able to handle it. Yes, this might sound mean, but if you had very high chances of being raped each day and you could do nothing about it despite the fact that if you could, you could easily kick their asses wouldn't you want to beat something up, too?

Once on the island, Shadow didn't bother fighting back the relieved grin that spread through his face.

He was free.

FREE!

… Or was he?

* * *

**A/N (9:30 PM PST October 5, 2014): The scent thing and Scourge's fantasy was inspired by the original Mating Season by Sonicathehedgehog000.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This would've been updated yesterday had it not been for my friend who came over to hang out and the fact she showed me the manga "Love Stage" which I ended up reading from beginning to the latest chapter... And now I can't wait for the next volume to come out! ^^ That and the month of October was a very very VERY long month for me and not for good reasons; reasons most people probably experience but with their parents and of old age instead of their sister and cancer... So yeah...**

**This is also probably the shortest chapter in the entire story.**

**Disclaimer: Idea came from Mating Season by SonicatheHedgehog000**

* * *

Chapter 4

_Emerald green eyes surveyed the meadow he was in; it was calm, quiet, and serene. The azure furry was currently laying on his back as he thrived in the peaceful setting not minding the fact he was completely and utterly alone._

_"__Sonikku?" a loving voice called him._

_Okay, so he wasn't completely alone._

_Sonic tilted his head slightly to look at his partner. He grinned softly as the other hedgehog gave him a peck on his lips._

_"__Would you like to have a little fun, Sonikku?" the other asked as he – yes, he – began to straddle the blue speedster's waist. Eagerly, Sonic nodded as he reached up and connected their lips in a passionate kiss. His partner groaned as he ripped off their gloves and kicked off their shoes. Both hedgehogs' hands explored their partner's body only breaking their kiss to get air. Sonic purred as the other broke the kiss in favor of planting kisses and licking down his neck, his chest, and his stomach. The other male stopped to glance at the speedster with lust-filled and loving eyes before his head disappeared from Sonic's immediate line of sight hovering over his lower body…_

* * *

"-onic… Sonic… Sonic wake up!" Knuckles shouted at the snoozing 'hog lying down on the pedestal's steps. The only response he got was another moan from the Fastest Thing Alive. The noises humming from his friend was honestly kind of disturbing the guardian. He could tell what kind of dream the hedgehog was having and as much as he knew how pleasurable those dreams could be, he did not think Sonic would appreciate it if Tails woke up and learned that Sonic hadn't completely left mating season back on the still terrain. Especially since there was a bulge forming.

Sweatdropping, the echidna roughly bopped the back of Sonic's head causing the furry to sit up straight in shock and pain.

Emerald eyes glared at him though the blush on the peach muzzle did not help his glare at all. "What was that for?"

"You were having another wet dream so excuse me if I wanted to keep my promise to make sure Tails didn't find out." The red furball retorted. "Any longer and you would have had to explain about the 'birds and the bees' to Tails." The comment did nothing to quell the other's slowly growing blush, instead they worsened it.

"R-right. Thanks." He adverted the examining violet eyes grateful that his little 'friend' was going away albeit slowly.

Once seeing his friend was fully awake, Knuckles went back to his position on the Master Emerald careful not to wake up neither Tails, Manic, nor Silver – the last hedgehog was running away from mating season in the future by traveling back to the past. (Strange, ain't it?) The albino 'hog was glad to run into Sonic and his friends and get invited into their camping trip which was now taking place on the Floating Island. Why? Well, 1) Knuckles was a paranoid guardian who wanted to make sure the M.E. was perfectly fine at all time; 2) Sonic wanted to include Knuckles in the trip so he suggested staying on the island during mating season, and 3) there was an even greater chance that no female hedgehog would bother them while there.

At first, everything was fine; neither of the hedgehogs felt the effects of the season and they all had a generally fun time together. However, as the weeks dragged on, Sonic began having… dreams. When they first started, he wasn't aware of neither who the other hedgehog was in his dreams nor whether the other was a male or female. He guessed that he was having these dreams because it was mating season and his hormones were urging for him to find a mate even one as made-up as the one in his subconscious.

In the beginning they were harmless innocent fantasies: him being a hero and this strange hedgehog complimenting him. Then, Sonic started saving the mystery 'hog and being rewarded with a kiss. After those dreams, Sonic and the other began hanging out and doing things together that ended with the two kissing or cuddling. The hero was convinced that that was as far as the dreams would go.

Boy was he wrong.

Recently, the dreams began to grow more intense: more passionate kissing, curious fingers, grinding hips, etc. When he finally had his first wet dream with his mystery lover, he discovered the other's gender considering the other had topped him in such a way only another male was capable of doing. Since then, the dreams would alternate with different scenarios of him being the submissive or dominant partner. Either way, the result always ended with him writhing and moaning in pleasure in the real world. He accidentally woke up Tails one time with his loud moans, but he evasively avoided giving the real answer, instead telling Tails a more innocent one. After that little incident, Sonic persuaded the others to wake him up if he started to act that way so he didn't end up possibly scarring Tails. Thankfully, it didn't much for them to agree. Unfortunately, they ended up having to wake the azure hedgehog up early almost every single day. To Silver and Manic, it seemed as if the emerald-eyed male was getting worse and losing control over his lustful instincts causing them to worry that he may end up mating with one of them to quell the urges. However, Sonic never made a move on them or even hinted to liking either of them that way.

Actually, Sonic discovered that he didn't seem to like their touch and as the dreams continue, it was almost as if he only wanted one person to touch him: his mystery lover. Heck, there were times during the current season when he could hardly tolerate Tails touching him seeing how the older would seem to bite back a warning growl.

Suffice to say, Sonic was getting worried about his mental state. He was just glad that mating season was almost over – the more intense parts at least. There was a reason why mating season was hardest on hedgehogs during June to August; it was because his species normally loved mating during the hot season. Once it cooled down, the urge wouldn't be as strong anymore. Though, he couldn't help but wonder who his mystery lover was in his dreams. He had a slight suspicion on who it might be, but refused to believe that was true blaming everything on mating season. There was no way his subconscious chose _him_.

Later that day, the other campers woke up and they all gathered around for breakfast. They chatted and laughed about random things. The air was light and carefree; it was a beautiful day. Only thing is, they had nothing planned to do for that day. It was time for them to spit out random ideas until they all agreed on something. After a bit of bickering, they eventually agreed with Tails's idea of a more intense version of hide-and-go-seek.

Tails's version of hide-and-go-seek was something the young genius believed would appeal to his older companions. His friends, with the possibility of excluding Manic, were fighters, heroes who would put their lives on their line to save someone else. They were able to handle physical hits that would normally maim an average being. With this in mind, the kitsune proposed that the game be like a combination of a scavenger hunt, wrestling, and hide-and-go-seek. The object of the game was for the seeker to find and 'capture' the others before the time limit was up while invading any and all traps the hiding players set. If a hiding player was aware that the seeker was nearby, he could attempt to fight off the seeker in any way they could – without causing serious damage to the other – or rat out another hiding player in exchange for 'immunity' for a period of time. For the seeker to win, he must capture the other players by overcoming their traps, tying them up, or pinning them to the floor for a period of ten seconds. The captured anthros would then aide the seeker in capturing another player. The game would end when the seeker has captured all hiding players or when the time limit is up. Should the time run out, the hiding players would be the victors. The person who was captured first would be the seeker next round. All in all, it seemed like a very interesting prospect. If it was played correctly with competitive players (*cough* Sonic and Knuckles *cough*) it could end up being a fun game especially in a massive island like the one they were in now.

The five males figured out who would be the seeker first by drawing straws, the one with the shortest one would be the seeker. Knuckles the treasure hunter was the first seeker. Knowing about the echidna's skills in treasure hunting as well as his massive strength, the best bet for the other seekers was to set up traps and hope he wouldn't get near them. Well, that was how it looked for Tails and Manic. Silver and Sonic on the other hand were more than capable of handling the guardian in hand-to-hand combat. The seeker's biggest concern would be Sonic concerning the azure hedgehog's speed, agility, ingenuity, and experience.

Knuckles was to sit on his precious gem while he waited for the others to set up their defenses during the five minutes he was not allowed to leave. Violet orbs were hid behind ruby lids as each of the players departed. Once the five minutes passed, the red furball would have two hours to capture the others.

Sonic smirked to himself as he dashed off to the other side of the island leaving his companions in the dust. He was confident that he'd win no matter how good of a hunter Knuckles was. He had beaten the echidna so many times before why should this time be any different? Yes, as long as he encountered no obstacle powerful enough to deter him from his goal, the hero was not getting 'captured' anytime soon.

* * *

Shadow exhaled deeply as he surveyed the area he arrived in. It was a plush, tranquil lake surrounded by green plumage. The only sound was the faint calls of birds and the soothing rush of the waterfall's plummeting liquid. The ebony hedgehog had found this place some time ago and he immediately taken a liking to it. Sure, he never bothered to visit it again after that time, but nevertheless he treasured the peaceful place. Not that he'd ever admit it out loud, that is. Still, he was grateful he remembered its location for it was a good distance away from the Master Emerald's pedestal meaning he wouldn't be running into the echidna anytime soon. He was completely and utterly alone; in other words, he was free!

He didn't bother fighting off the grin that managed to make his way on his face again as he had no real reason to. He didn't know why he bothered biting back grins and smiles when he was with company or why he only allowed smirks or amused smiles on his lips only if something darkly entertaining occurred such as someone making a fool of themselves or getting hurt. Whether it was because of stubborn pride or something else, he could never tell (more like he didn't want to find out); he just didn't want others to him smile.

The anti-hero began setting up the rest of his stuff. He was to stay there for a few weeks and even if he ran out of food, he could always survive off the chaos energy radiating from the Master Emerald nearby. Hygiene would be his biggest problem, but that was a problem that would be easily taken care of.

Speaking of which, it had been a few days since he arrived, any longer and he might turn rank – not that that would matter to any other hedgehog considering his growing pheromones would be enticing to them. If he didn't bathe soon, there was a chance that hedgehogs a fair distance away would be able to detect him. A small chance, but he was not about to risk it.

Crimson-streaked hands removed the little article of clothing on his person as he made his way to the pond. He slowly stepped into the water and waded near the waterfall. He closed his eyes as he focused on the cool droplets of water hitting his face. Once he deemed he was close enough to the cascading water, he relaxed as he washed himself. During this state of relaxation, he had let his guard down just enough to notice a little too late that someone was near his hiding spot.

Curious brown orbs eyed the bathing hedgehog as their owner crept closer to get a better look at him. Long, green quills blending into the forest's natural borders almost perfectly thus allowing for the hidden anthro to watch from a safe distance. The only things that might seem out of place were his gloves, shoes, or his red vest. Fortunately for Manic, the ebony hedgehog seemed unaware of anyone close by.

The rocker only vaguely remembered how he arrived at the peaceful place. Most of his attention was on running away from Knuckles and calculating what his best chances were to not get caught when all of a sudden he smelled something delicious. He found himself following the source of the scent before he was aware of what was going on. Next thing he knew, he was watching a seemingly male hedgehog with a somewhat girlish figure bathe himself. For some reason, his eyes refused to waver from the mystery 'hog's wet body, lingering as long as they could on the other's face, chest, tail, butt, and groin.

He was not committing voyeurism no matter how it sounded like; he was just… curious, okay? Yes, the dark one was sexy-looking and his scent was mouthwatering which was causing the green furball's horny instincts to overload, but that did not mean he was interested in the other sexually!

Wait… no! No, no, _no_! It was just nature telling him to bend the crimson-streaked one over and take him not his sane mind! The safest and logical thing to do was to leave before the other could notice his presence. Yes, that's exactly what Manic will do. Brown eyes widened at what the ebony hedgehog was doing now.

Shadow bent down to clean his lower body inadvertently showing off his well-shaped ass to the green 'hog.

Manic gulped. Then again, what's the harm of coming over to talk to the hedgehog once his bath was done? He only wanted to be friends, alright!? Mating season was _not_ getting to him. He did not like anyone that way let alone the ebony male that he just saw today. Nope, no feelings once-so-ever. He'll wait patiently until the other finished before attempting to be friends.

… That didn't mean he had to leave the place just yet…

* * *

**Fun Fact: Originally, I was going to make Sonic find Shadow, but I decided against it.**


End file.
